Machine for the manufacture of knitted fabrics having plain and back stitches



Aug. 10, 1954 2,685,785

FRANCISCO PLADEVEYA CAPDEVILA MACHINE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF KNITTED FABRICS A HAVING PLAIN AND BACK STITCHES Filed Sept. 24, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 \Q my Cm a A? I a B M Aug. 10, 1954 FRANCISCO PLADEVEYA CAPDEVILA MACHINE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF KNITTED FABRICS HAVING PLAIN AND BACK STITCHES 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 24, 1952 w 3 O om \m 0 F r5 5.. m3 0 mm m. \m N an O Md T v W N l/ 0 a w Q a w an I w o Q. \H N :AIW. F mm m mm mm Aug. 10, 1954 2,685,785

FRANCISCO PLADEVEYA CAPDEVILA MACHINE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF KNITTED FABRICS HAVING PLAIN AND BACK STITCHES Filed Sept. 24, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 27 Fig. i

INVENTOR.

Aug. 10, 1954 2,685,785

F NCISCO PLA VEYA PDEVILA MACH FOR THE MANUF URE 0F TTED FABRICS HAVING PLAIN AND BACK STITCHES Filed Sept. 24, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 m a a a Q ////4, Q mx Q 8% u l 3 INVENTOR. fPlzag ue z a Ga ois va'l 2,685,785 CAPD EVI LA KNITTED FABRICS STITCHES FRANCISCO PLA VEYA MACHINE FOR MANUF URE OF HAVI PLAIN AND BACK Aug. 10, 1954 6 Sheets-Sheet .5

Filed Sept. 24, 1952 INVENTOR. .TfPlcdeueya, (21 0 deva'la,

Aug. 10, 1954 2,685,785

FRANCISCO PLADEVEYA CAPDEV|LA MACHINE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF KNITTED FABRICS HAVING PLAIN AND BACK STITCHES Filed Sept. 24, 1952 6' Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. lT'Pladgyeya Qz odevzlla,

Patented Aug. 10, 1954 MACHINE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF KNITTED FABRICS HAVING PLAIN AND BACK STITCHES Francisco Pladeveya Gapdevila, Olot, Spain, as-

signor of one-half to Salvador Turull Fornells, Mataro, Barcelona, Spain Application September 24, 1952, Serial No. 311,261

Claims priority, application Spain October 22, *1951 12 Claims.

The present invention relates to a new machine for the manufacture of knitted fabrics having plain andback stitches.

The object of this invention is to provide a machine for the manufacture of knitted fabrics of the kind set forth, which constitutes a noticeable simplification with respect to those known hitherto, making it possible to suppress one of the two co-axial cylinders the same are provided with, as well as the complications of centering and driving both the said needle cylinders. The present invention abolishes, furthermore, the well known double end latched needles which, even in case of being designed in the best manner, are always damaged in consequence of the hard working of the driving jacks thereof as they alternatively pull and push on their hooks to make them pass from one to the other of said cylinders within the respective grooves, thus giving rise to the consequential bluntness and wear and tear of the nibs of said hooks. In the new machine according to the invention, said needles may be improved so far that all the weak members they are at present provided with are omitted, either in the case of latched needles, or of hooked ones.

According to the invention, these objects are attained by the arrangement of a machine of the specified kind comprising a single needle cylinder which includes at least two sets of needles with the corresponding thread feeding mechanisms in combination with a deflection means for each set, said cylinder having peripheral longitudinal grooves each one thereof being provided with a pair of adjacent needles arranged side by side, radially with respect to said cylinder, and provided with special hooks the cavities of which eventually face and coincide with one another, said needles being longitudinally slideable with respect to one another and both of them with respect to the cylinder, having respective heels near to their lower ends, specially arranged to co-operate with axial cams which provide the vertical needle movements necessary for the working of the machine. I

Of course, this arrangement may likewise extend to the improvement and simplification'of the known flat frames type, for the manufacture of knitted fabrics having plain and back stitches, without substantially departing from the scope of the invention. The sole differentiating feature to be noted in this case is that the needle beds are fixed whilst the movable elements for the operation of the needles are the cams, which will be suitably mounted in adequate travelling slides.

In order to facilitate the explanation, this specification is accompanied by a set of drawings showing an embodiment of the invention, not restrictive of the character thereof, with refer ence to the following description.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation in diametral section of the part of the machine corresponding to its devices for the obtention of the knitted fabric, in an embodiment comprising two sets of needles;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the devices shown in Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 show the two kinds of needles to which likewise extends the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a lateral view of the special sinkers used in the machine in question;

Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive, show the diverse working positions of the needles in respective stages for the obtention of the stitches, for two different needles sets;

Fig. 10 indicates, in a developed manner, the working diagram of the machine, comprising the cams for the selection of the needles and for the operation of the sinkers, and

Fig. 11 is a very amplified view of the sample of the knitted fabric obtained with this machine on the basis of plain and back stitches.

In connection with the quoted figures a machine according to the present invention is described comprising two sets of needles for the obtention of the knitted fabric in both its mesh positions by means of a single thread guide for each set, but it must be understood that the machine in question may be likewise developed with greater number of needle sets and, furthermore, in such a way that the same be provided With more than one thread guide to insert in the knitted fabrics wefts having different color Y or characteristics to obtain color combinations or transverse bands depending on the operation of the automatic distribution devices, which are already common to the circular type frames for the manufacture of knitted fabrics.

Thus, the machine which is described includes a platform l2 (Fig. 1) provided with an aperture I3 for the passage of the devices which will be described later and to allow the manipulation within the circle of needles when the machine has a fabric mounted thereon. concentrically with said aperture there is a toothed ring 14 designed to receive the mechanical drive for rotating the needles cylinder and all the devices attached thereto. Said cylinder is fixed by any conventional means to the toothed ring [4, and is indicated by the reference numeral l5, being provided with external longitudinal grooves it as it is common in the circular type knitting machines. In each one of said grooves there are mounted two needles I! and 18, the one-atthe bottom of the groove and the other over the former, externally, in order that both the needles are longitudinally slidablez with respect to one another and tothecylinder l5. The inner needle I! is longerthan the-outer needle 18 and is provided with a heel I9 located:-

in such a position that it cannot be reached by thefigures; only-two deflection arcs are necesthe lower end of the needle 18, not even inpositions wherein their lower ends'are nearerto each i other.

ation of the inner needles, said cams being mounted on a fixed external supportingring 2E; The outer needle 88 is provided with a similar- The said needles .are illustrated independently;

in Figs. 3 and 4, and .as to their Working ends. for

the formation ofstit'chestheyare constituted by curved edges 24 converging at the end of. the needlewith the. other straight edge, in sucha manner thatvv'henboth the needles are coupled.

together-in workingpositicn, said straight edges are in adjacent contact, whilst. the curved edges 2%. start fromthe junctionline provided byt The heel is is specially arranged to co'- operate with a set of axial earns 26 for theoperz-v concurrence of the edges 25' and diverge until... abutting. ,onthe corresponding inner and outer" straight edges 25,".ofhoth the needles ll" and H3 andoppositeto said line of concurrence. The edges 25 of bothneedles are interruptednear. to theworking end of the latter by a recess. 2'! directed towards the opposite edge 25 and the curved edge. 24, thusforminga hook. apt .to' eventually retain at least one mesh of the knitted fabric or even four meshes as it will be hereinafter described.

The needle. cylinder Hi hascoupledthereto a flange 28 withgrooves 2% for the passage of the.

needles ll and l8,;and..grooves 3i) specially arranged to house radial vsinkers 32 working in .a synchronous waywith respect to the motion. .01

the needles by means of the. action. .of a set of radial cams for each set of needles, said sets of.

cams being generally indicated in. the figures by the reference numeral, 32 and mounted, asit is common; at the back of asin'ser ring33' and acting. upon these sinkers within notches Each one of said sets is combined with'a ole-- ilection means for the formed knitted fabric which is essential for theformation of thenew loops and to determine the'stripping olf of the loops previously formed. These deflection means are constitutedby wire or the like arcs 3? and'38,

one for each needle set, curved in such amanner that itscenter'is located on the axis of symmetry of the-needles cylinder. On of said arcs has the task of separating the formed fabric outwardly with respect to the circle of needles,- for which purpose it must be located within the piece of knitted fabric;

secured on respective supporting. membersSSfextending downwardly. within the needl cylinder Due to this fact, the ends of the same are bent 'towardsthe center. thereof and.

I5 until reaching the level occupied by the platform I 2 to which they are secured. The other are 38 deflects the fabric in the contrary direction; that is to say,v from'thaoutsid'eof the latter towards the axis of the machine and the ends thereof are curved outwardly (Fig. 2) extending uprxabove the sinker ring to which they are fixed by interrnediate members 40.

In the embodiment described in connection with sary, one of each kind for each needles set. In the embodiments'wherein the machine is formed of more than 'twosets, said arcs will be arranged in analt'ernate distribution.

Eachiset of'needlesihas its own weft feeding means which, in the present case, comprise a thread guide for one set and 42 for the other respectively. The thread guide corresponding to the set'of needles having the outer deflector arc is likewise mounted outwardly and fixed to the sinker. ring ofthemachine on. a support 43. The thread guide corresponding. to the set having the inner deflector is likewise mounted on the inner side of. a supporting member 4 which extends downwardly within the cylinder :5, being secured to the platform l2.

The operation of the machine in connection with the formation of the stitches is as follows:

In order to facilitate. the explanation the sets of. needles are given the referencenumerals 45 and 35 and it is supposed that all the pairs of needles H and 18 have already mounted meshes and the knitted fabric thus formed is pulled by. means of a conventional plying device .not shown in the.

figures.

It is likewise supposed thata given pair-.of needles, taken .as starting point for the ex-. planation, islocated in the position indicated by thearrow ii in Fig. 2. series of meshes 43. (Figs. 6-9)--1eft' devicemounted. on. the .needle in question,.comes into contact with the are 37 the fabric isdeflected outwardly as shown in Fig.. .6, the last mesh of said 1 series being retained in. the recess 2i of the inner 32, the. scope ofsaid motion of the sinkers being to facilitate the passage of the needle I'll and to leave the mesh 5| in. a propitious position for the.

further loopformation.

When the needles taken as areference reach their highest. position the devices .of. the machine are .inxthe working stage represented .in Figs '7,

wherein said needle has. crossed the mesh Bland J rotated until facing the thread guide M which.

carries the thread 53 into the recess 21 of the former,; to which working stage corresponds the position of the figures.

The following. steps for theformation. .of thestitches consist of. lowering the needle Iii-thus... dragging along downwardly throughithe... mesh 5| .a second loop 55 formed by the'thread 53,.

until. reaching the stage indicated in-Fig. .10. cor.-

responding to the position 56, which isattained by. means oirthe cam 511 for. the lowering.of-..-the..

When thev longitudinal needles,iin co-operation with a safety'cam 58 to prevent the upward rebound thereof, and a guide cam 59 to avoid the needle l8 being dragged due to friction during the movement of the other needle I 1 in the same groove.

Finally, the last stage is reached, corresponding to the formation of the stitches constituted by mesh 5| and loop 55, consisting in the raising of the needles I! until said mesh 5| is stripped off from the recess 21 attaining the stages .of Fig. 9, corresponding to the position 60. This maneuver is performed by the heel l9 of needle I! reaching the cam 6| to be raised, which is followed by the immediate lowering thereof produced by the cam 62, which movement finishes the cycle corresponding to the formation of a stitch in one of the directions.

It must be noted that the needle l8 after its downward motion to form the loop 55 does not recover its original level provided by the flat portion:63 of cam 50, but it remains in a slightly higher position according to the height of the guide cam 59. At the same time, the needle [1, of which the original height was determined by the guide cam 64, drops a little more until reaching the level of the portion 65 of the corresponding cast cam 6!, the amounts of the said'movements being the most suitable in order that after the described working stages the relative positions of the needles, as to their heights, result inverted with respect to those which had at the start of this working cycle, with the feature that the knitted fabric always stays mounted on the needles in the highest position. This condition is obtained when the couple of needles taken as a reference reaches the position 65 corresponding to the passage of the said couple from one to the other of the needle sets of the frame: in the present case from set 45 to 46.

Starting from this moment the knitted fabric which already had passed from the arc 3i comes into contact with the other are 38 which deflects it towards the axis of the frame, thus coming into the working stage of the right side of Fig. 6,

corresponding to the position 61. Now the relative position of the fabric withrespect'to the needles is the same as formerly with the sole differentiating feature that both the needles stay in inverted positions.

Starting from this working stage, the same operations which already have taken place on the devices of the left side are now repeated at the right side of Figures 6-9 and in the same functional sequence, passing through positions 61, 6'8, 69 and 50 corresponding to said working stages and being equivalent to the former positions 49, 54, 56 and 60. For the purpose of obtaining said stages the frame is provided with a cam H for raising the needles H, with guide cam 12 and a cam 13 for its further lowering, safety cam 14 to prevent the rebounding thereof and guide cams 64 and B5 to determine its positions. On the other hand, the axial cams set 23 comprises a couple of additional earns 15 and I6, respectively for the raising and lowering of the needles 8 for the purpose of causing the casting off of the meshes TI and leaving the fabric fixed to the needles l8 through the loops J8 lastly formed Within the set 46, in a similar manner to that performed formerly with the needles I! of set 45.

The movement of the sinkers 3! in this second set is performed in a similar manner by means of the portions 19 and 80 of the radial cam 32.

Of course, this construction may be provided with conventional suitable means to enable the formation of designs and fancy patterns within stitch and color combinations, by the adequate selection of the needles in the most convenient angular positions within the respective sets. In the Fig. 10, for example, the outline 8| indicates the position which a selecting wheel may occupy, in combination with respective cams to lower the selected needles, indicated by the reference numeral 82. Nevertheless, all these combinations are based upon a primitive fabric having plain and back stitches (Fig. 11), wherein" are shown meshes 83 turned towards the outside of the fabric, and meshes 84 turned towards the inside of the same. I

This invention, within its essential construction, may be carried into practice in other embodiments differing in detail from that given only by way of example in the preceding description and illustrative thereof, to which likewise extends the claimed protection. Thus, it may be manufactured in any shape and size, utilizing in the manufacture thereof the materials most suitable to each particular case of embodiment,

combined in the most convenient way to reach the proposed end, all this being comprehended within the spirit and scope of the present claims. Having now described and ascertained the nature of the present invention, I declare that what I claim as new and of my own invention and a flange provided with grooves for radial sinkers,

said cylinder including at least two sets of needles with the needles of all of the sets being located within a circle, the even sets of needles having a knitted fabric deflection means associated therewith for deflecting the knitted fabric outwardly with respect to the needle circle, a weft feeding means located within the deflection means, the odd sets of needles having a fabric deflection means deflecting the knitted fabric inwardly with respect to the needle circle, a weft feeding means located exteriorly of the latter of 'said deflection means, the needles being mounted in pairs in each groove of said cylinder adjacent to each other radially thereto thus constituting inner and outer needles, each needle having a hook with the recesses of the needles in each groove facing each other and being eventually coincident, the needles being slidable longitudinally with respect to each other and both with respect to the cylinder, operation heels on the needles, the heels of the inner needles engaging axial cams located about the cylinder, and further axial cams located about the cylinder, engageable with the heels of the inner needles.

2. A machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said weft feeding means comprises at least one thread guide for each needle set in alternative positions within the cylinder of the machine, which thread guide is placed in an outer position with respect to the circle of needles.

3. A machine according to claim 2, characterized in that said weft feeding means includes at least one thread guide for each set of needles in alternate positions within the cylinder of the machine, which thread guide is placed in an inner position with respect to the circle of needles and mounted on a supporting member which extends downwardly within said cylinder being seaieewsse the needle circle which 'includes all thestepsfor the formation of apassage of meshes on one side" of the' knitted fabric, said deflection means being at'aiconvenient height over. sinkers to sub-'- stantially' tend to separate said knitted fabric in radial direction with respect to'the 'circle ofw needles;

5. Aima'chine according to claimi4,-characterizedr-inathat eachone of "said wire arcs corresponding to respective'needle sets 'having-gouter i thread guides; are secured to fixed points of the.

machine and arranged ininner positions with respect'totthe circleofneedles such'ias toi'subst'antiallyzenable the inner needles to form'new loops across meshes retained by outer needles,

and the further separation of: said meshes :to

leave the knitted fabric retained only by said inner needles.

6. A machine according to claim 5, characterized lin that each one of said wire arcs corre'-;

sponding to respective needle sets having inn'eri thread guides, are secured to supporting mem-* bers placed Within the needle cylinder and extending downwardly thereof to the level of the machine platform to which they are secured, said arcsbeing disposed externally with respect to the circle of needles to substantially enable the outer needles to form new loops across meshes retained by inner needles, and thefurther sepa-' ration 'of said meshes to leave the knitted fabric :40

retained only by said outer needles.

7. A machineaccording to claim 1, character'-' ized' in that said needles arranged internally within'said grooves are'provided with a Working end comprising a curved outline which starts from the'inner edge of said needle and converges" with the" outer edge thereof at said end, and. a recess in said outer straight edge, near to said curved outline to substantially form a hook apt to retain meshes of a knitted fabric underllateral i tension" in both directions.

8;"A machine according to claim'l, character"- ized :in that said needles, arranged externally within said grooves are provided with a working end comprising a curved outline which starts from 'the" outer-"edge of the needle and converges withxthe inner straight edge thereof at said end and a recess in said inner straighttedge 'near to itslworking end, directed towards the outerfiedge and towards said curved outline to substantially as form ca 'hook apt" to retain "meshes of: a :knitted-r: fabric mountedon. said *needles under lateraltension in both radial directions, i said inner edge being susceptible oficoinciding with the -outerfif edge of the other needle with-in the-same cylin der groove.

9. A'machine according to claim '1, character-*- izedin-that one of said axial cams comprises a set' of cams to produce the sequence of raising? and lowering of the-outer needles for the thread I feeding and formation of new loops invzangular positions comprehended fwithinathe" needle sets.

having inner thread guides, and'a further 'set of cams for the successive raising and lowering, of said outer needles to removethe meshesof the preceding passage .in angular positions comprehended within the -needle' sets havingtoutef thread guides;

10. A machine according to'claimi, character izedinsthat the further axial 'camscomprise at set of cams to produce thesuccessiveraising and lowering of the inner needle's'in angularposition's comprehended within the :needle sets havings' inner thread guides'andimmediately?after-the" formation of the stitch by the outer needles: to remove the meshes of the preceding passage, andaset of cams to producethe successive raising and lowering of said inner'needles for the thread feeding and formation of new loopsin angular positions comprehended within'needle 'sets:hav-'= ing outerthread guides and previously 1to"'the position wherein the separation-of the meshes by the outer needles takes'place. 11. A machine according to claim l,-'ch'ara;cter ized in that said -axial cams comprise-needles uide cams between said cams for 'the" thread ii feeding and formation offthenew-loop's'and for the'separation of the loops of the preceding passage, the' height of said guide cams befo're and "after said passage for one of isaid ensemblesbeing different and-alternated withthe heights' of'the passages corresponding to the other ensemble, to

substantially allow the needles-in -eachgroove" which are retaining meshes to"beslightly higher 1 than the other ones."

12. A machine according to claim 1, characterized in:.that'the radial sinkers comprise -a verti cally downwards directed :recess, starting-from the upper edge thereof and ne'a'r 'to the inner ends of the same, said recess including .radially directed extensions to substantiallyallow'the're moving ofthe meshes in either direction:

References Cited in thefile of this patent UNITED L STATES PATENTS Number I Name Date H 1,385,929 scott July 26, 1921 I 2,191,389 Hill Feb. 20,1940 1 

